RACA Journal June 2026 | Page 37

FEATURE SERIES

RETHINKING HVAC DESIGN FROM CAPITAL EXPENSE TO LIFECYCLE EFFICIENCY

By Nancy Strangfeld, Atlas Air Conditioning

Energy efficiency has become a central consideration for decision-makers in the modern built environment, driven by rising electricity costs, sustainability targets and the optimisation of long‐term operating expenditure. Industry research indicates that HVAC systems can account for 40 – 60 % of total building energy usage, positioning them as a primary focus area for efficiency optimisation. 1, 2

HVAC system selection and lifecycle management play a critical role in financial planning and asset performance. Service providers and system designers are increasingly required to deliver solutions that align with modern efficiency expectations, intelligent control philosophies and measurable operational savings. These requirements are particularly pronounced in energy‐intensive spaces such as data centres and pharmaceutical facilities, where cooling performance directly impacts uptime, compliance and business continuity.

Variable refrigerant flow( VRF) systems, along with advanced hybrid packaged solutions, have become widely recognised for their superior efficiency compared to traditional split systems. Unlike fixed‐speed equipment, these systems dynamically modulate capacity to match real‐time demand, allowing them to operate more efficiently during part‐load conditions, which constitute the majority of annual operating hours in most buildings. 3, 4, 5

Recent generations of multi‐variable systems incorporate advanced control logic, high‐efficiency compressors, enhanced heat exchanger design and optimised fan technology. Data from leading OEMs highlight specific gains: heat exchanger surface area increases between 24 % and 36 %; multi-serration fan designs reducing power consumption by 32 %; and active AI algorithms further regulating refrigerant flow, pressure and operating modes in response to changing load conditions and ambient temperatures. In practice, such systems demonstrate efficiency improvements of between 10 % and 18 % compared to

Energy artificial efficiency intelligence

RACA Journal I June 2026 www. refrigerationandaircon. co. za 35